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Feds issue warning after Ebersol crash

Claire Heininger | Wednesday, January 12, 2005

The Nov. 28 charter plane crash that killed 14-year old Teddy Ebersol, the youngest brother of Notre Dame senior Charlie Ebersol, spurred both an emotional memorial service and a federal safety warning in December. Family and friends – including a bedridden NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol, Charlie and Teddy’s father who was injured in the crash – honored the youngest Ebersol Dec. 16 at a ceremony at the Washington Montessori School in Washington, Conn., according to the Associated Press.Dick Ebersol, 57, sustained severe injuries in the Montrose, Colo. crash, which occurred as the plane attempted to take off from the Montrose Regional Airport in light snow, ice and fog. He fractured his sternum, pelvis, coccyx and three ribs, and broke six vertebrae in his back, the New York Times reported, but addressed the 400 memorial attendees from a hospital bed. Charlie Ebersol, 21, who sustained less serious injuries to his back and a burn on his arm, also spoke about his brother’s life. Two weeks later, on Dec. 30, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a warning letter prompted by the Ebersol incident. According to the Associated Press, the alert instructed all pilots of corporate jets, regional jets and private aircraft to take time before takeoff to run their hands along the wings of their aircraft and check for the formation of potentially dangerous ice particles. “No amount of snow, ice or frost accumulation on the wing upper surface can be considered safe for takeoff,” the NTSB said, according to the Associated Press. Though the Colorado crash prompted the alert, the board told the Associated Press that ice has not been confirmed as a factor in that accident. The plane’s pilot and flight attendant were also killed in the crash.